Pat Blythe – Smile, you’re on….and music

I’ve actually remembered how to use that contraption they call a camera and now I have two! I used them both for the first time last night photographing the Forever Seger band at their rehearsals. What a joy to have two cameras set up with different lenses…..sort of a “grab-and-go” scenario. Just pop the lens cover, make sure the camera is “on” (this is always helpful), point, focus and shoot. So good to be back!

Pat Blythe – Keep live alive…..and music

I could continue with the “cymbal saga”, but I think I’ll take a different tact this week….it’s all about the music. Summer is in full swing and coming alive with concerts, both public and private, on both sides of the border. In person or in car, people are attending in droves, almost desperate to see and hear their favourite bands and artists….live and alive. The camaraderie, the faces (both on and off stage), the laughter, the joy, the amps, the earplugs, the dancing, the oxytocin from the many hugs, all those endorphins coming alive, even mic or guitar feedback sounds good these days…..it’s literally impossible to replace any of this over the internet. We all need each other and the “in person” interaction and touch it provides.

Pat Blythe – Mind and body in isolation…..losing the connection

We all need touch…..human touch. A handshake, a hug, the brushing of legs, a gentle pat on the arm in conversation, holding hands, arms around shoulders, brushing hair from a face, the playful tug on your ear from a baby….it’s all about touch. It’s what we crave. It’s what we desire. It’s reassuring. It’s caring. It’s affection. It’s love. It’s unspoken words. Touch is how the blind “see” us. Touch is what connects us to ourselves and each other and we’re losing that connection.

Pat Blythe – CMW: Not Quite a Wrap …and Music!

I am incredibly late in starting this column. Like…..super super late. It’s been so busy during the past three weeks there’s barely been time to think. There is so much I want to share but not all of today. Suffice to say this will be my CMW “not quite a wrap”. Arriving back in Toronto from London I dove right into the nightlife of Toronto…..and of course some cruising and schmoozing (and jujube nibbling) at CMW central, The Sheraton Centre. Daytime activities are easy to manoeuvre but co-ordinating your CMW nightlife…..that’s a whole different game.

Pat Blythe – Forest City London Music Awards Wrap-Up, CMW …and Music!

Music festival season is upon us. CMW (Canadian Music Week) is usually first out of the starting gate. This year FCLMA was ahead of the game so for me, one segues right into the other. I’ll also be heading to Mariposa in July and Summerfolk in August. With a myriad of music shows and festival in between it’s going to be a busy summer for many and one that will pass by far too rapidly.